Apparatus for removing moisture from air.



J. B. MILES. APPARATUS FOR REMOVING MOISTURE FROM AIR. APPLIOATIOII FILED MAR.25, 1912.

1,041, 323., Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

H m u M! APPARATUS FOR REMOVING MOISTURE FROM AIR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, i912.

Application filed March 25, 1912. Serial No. 686,104.

i To all whom 'it may concern:

- arrangement of its parts and comparatively inexpensive to construct and assemble.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for removing moisture from air, in which an air cooler in the form of a spray chamber, is combined with an interchanger in such manner that one of these pieces of apparatus is contained within the other in order that they may both be located within a single enveloping shell which alone need be strong enough to resist the pressure at which the system is operated.

These objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which the figure is a diagrammatic sectional elevation illustrating the preferred arrangement of apparatus comprising my invention.

In the above drawings 1 represents an inclosing casing which in the present instance is vertically elongated in form and provided with upper and lower tube sheets 2 and 3. Extending longitudinally through this main casing and projecting above the same is a cylindrical structure 4 having within it any suitable number and arrangement of liquid spraying or vaporizing devices 18, the arrangement being such that the casing passes through the upper tube sheet 2 and extends downwardly to within a short distance of the lower tube sheet 3; its lower end being open.

Extending between the tube sheets are a series of tubes 5 whose lower ends open into a space 6 at the bottom of the casing 1 and whose upper ends open into a space or chamber 7 at the upper end thereof; there being free communication between the space surrounding the tubes and the interior of the spray chamber 4 through the lower end of the same.

The chambers 6 and 7 have openings re-' spect-ively indicated at 8 and 9 and similarly there 1s an opening 10 to the spray chamber preferably at the top thereof, as well as a second opening 11 through the upper portion of the side of the casing 1 into the space surrounding the tubes 5.

In addition to the liquid spraying devices 18 above referred to there is in the upper part of the spray chamber any suitable form of eliminator 19 for removing from the air any liquid which may be mechanically entrained therewith.

\In applying my invention tov practical working conditions I preferably combine two or more cooler-interchanger elements A and B in the manner indicated in the drawing, in which the pipe 13 connected to the opening 11 of the element A is in connection with the cold blast main. The opening 10 at the top of the cooler or spray chamber 4 of this first element A is connected through a pipe 14 to the opening 11 of the second and similar element B. The opening 8 of the chamber 6 belonging to this second element B is connected through a pipe 15 to the opening 10 at the top of the spray chamber 4 of the same element, and the opening 9 from the chamber 7 of said second element is connected through a pipe 16 to the opening 8 belonging to the chaniber 6 of the first element A. The opening 9 of this latter element is connected through a pipe 17 to the hot stoves. The spraying device 18, belonging to the element A is connected to a source of supply of water at natural temperature while the spraying device of the element B is connected to a source of refrigerated water or brine.

\Vith such an arrangement of apparatus, moist air at a temperature of 220 degrees F, for example, flows from the cold blast naln through the pipe 13 to the tube contalning space of the element A, and as it passes around the various tubes 5 of this element toward the opening into the bottom of the spray chamber 4, its temperature is reduced has its temperature further reduced to about '68 degrees, owing to the fact that the tubes in said space are cooled by the air within them. Finally the air passes into the bottom of the s ray chamber 4 of the element B, wherein it Is subjected to the action of a spray of refrigerated liquid such as water or brine and has its temperature still further reduced to ,about 41 degrees. As a result of this reduction in temperature, the air so far treated has been caused to deposit a large proportion of the moisture carried by it, so that while it is comparatively dry, it is at an objectionably low temperature. I therefore cause this cold, dry air to pass through the apparatus in such manner that its temperature is raised by the warm incoming, relatively moist air and the arrangement 1s such that after passing through the eliminator of the spray chamber 4: of the element B the air flows through the pipe 15 into the chamber 6 and thence into the tubes 5, where its temperature is raised to about 71 degrees. It then flows from the air chamber 7 through the pipe 16 to the chamber 6 in the element A and thence throughthe tubes 5 of said latter element, wherein its temperature is raised to about 131 degrees by heat received from the incoming moist air flowing around the outside surfaces of these tubes. Thus as the air is finally delivered from the apparatus, it is in a large measure freed of moisture and is at a temperature considerably above that at which the drying operation was completed.

From the above description it is obvious that the elements employed as parts of my system are relatively compact in form and construction, since if the apparatus be used after the air has been compressed, only the casing l and the upper part of the chamber 4 of each element need be made sufiiciently strong to withstand the pressure. Moreover by the arrangement noted, the amount of piping required is materially less than what would be necessary if the interchanger formed by the tubes 5 and their associated chambers were separate from the cooling or spray chamber.

It 1s of coulse obvious that the arrangement of interchanger and spray chamber.

may be reversed if desired without departing from my invention; 2'. e. the spraylng apparatus may be mounted in the space surrounding the interchanger, which in such case would occupy the center of the casing 1.

The liquid from the spraying or vaporizing devices is collected in the bottom part of each casing from whence it may be withdrawn through a pipe 20. In order to prevent the water collecting at the bottoms of the tube containing chambers from diluting the brine or other liquid from the spraying devices I preferably provide a lip 21 at the inner edge of the lower tube sheet, thus forming a shallow container from which the water may be discharged through a pipe 22 and a trap 23.

It will be understood by those skilled in this art that the term cooler or liquid cooler is employed to a device in which the temperature of the air is reduced by the transfer of its heat either directly or indirectly to a body of liquid at a lower temperature, while the terms heat exchange or interchanger are used to refer to a device where there is a flow of heat from the hotter to the cooler of two bodies of 'gas under treatment,in the present instance air.

I claim:

1. The combination in a drying element of an inclosing casing; structures therein forming chambers; tubes connecting said chambers; a container forming a spray chamber also in said casing; and means for spraying liquid in said chamber; there being inlets and out-lets for the chambers.

52. The combination in a drying apparatus of an air cooler; a heat exchanger having compartments; and means for directing air, after it has had its temperature reduced by passage through the cooler and one compartment of the heat exchanger, through the second compartment of said heat exchanger.

3. The combination in air drying apparatus of a plurality of elements each having a heat exchanger provided with a plurality of compartments and a liquid cooler; with conduits arranged to conduct air through one heat exchanger compartment and the cooler of each element; and other conduits.

arranged to thereafter conduct the cold dry air successively through the second compartments of said heat exchangers.

4. The combination in air drying apparatus of a plurality of elements each having a heat exchanger provided with compartments and a liquid cooler; with conduits arranged to conduct air through one heat exchanger compartment and the cooler of each element; and other conduits arranged to thereafter conduct the cold dry air successively through the second compartments of said heat exchangers, the cooler of one of said elements being arranged to produce a lower temperature than the other.

5. A drying element consisting of a casing; an air cooling device within said casing; and an apparatus for permitting flow of heat from avbody of gas at one temperature to a second body of gas at a lower temperature; said apparatus being mounted within the casing and surrounding the air cooling device.

6. The combination of a casing having two tube sheets; a hollow cylindrical structure mounted in thecasing and projecting from one end thereof; air cooling apparatus in said structure; a series of tubes extending between the tube sheets and surrounding said cylindrical structure; and conduits for conducting air to and from the apparatus; the lower end of the hollow cylindrical structure opening into the space around the tubes. 7. The combination of a substantially cylindrical structure; apparatus in said structure for supplying water in finely divided form; a casing having ends forming an .annular chamber and surroundingsaid structure; with tubes arranged in said annular chamber to form a heat exchanger; there being the necessary. inlets and outlets for the chamber and, the cylindrical structure.

8. A drying element consisting of an annular chamber having tubes arranged to form a heat exchanger; with a spray chamber located within the annular chamber; there being the necessary inlets and outlets for said chamber.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

I JOHN B. MILES. Witnesses;

WILLIAM E. BRADLEY, WM. BARR. 

